Take control over your work/life balance with a Pitman resale

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Pitman franchise?I have worked in the Learning and Skills sector for all of my career, with my most recent position prior to the Pitman franchise being a Skills Policy Adviser in the London Borough of Newham. Prior to that, I worked for the Learning and Skills Council as a Partnership Director.

Why did you decide to go down the franchise route?
I wanted to own a business I’d be passionate about and have some control over my work/life balance.

Why did you choose the training industry you are in? And ultimately a Pitman franchise?I am passionate about the sector and the role that education and training plays in empowering people. Pitman Cambridge was available at the right time and the right location for me at that time.

Why have you decided to sell your business?I am relocating with my partner.

What’s the key selling points of your business?

You really do make a difference in people’s lives

The central Cambridge location is excellent, and the centre itself is spacious and very welcoming

Cambridgeshire has an ever-growing population with education and training as a key feature

You have complete independence within the franchisor’s parameters and you can deploy your resources and innovate as you wish

It is an exciting business where you are dealing face-2-face with people and having a direct impact in their employment and lives

What support should the new franchisee expect to receive?

There will be a 5 day handover period

Induction and training from the franchisor (Pitman Training Group)

Induction (first weeks of operation) from the area Franchise Development Manager

Ongoing support and regular visits from the area Franchise Development Manager

Marketing and CRM systems and support

Website

Support from dedicated Customer Support and Marketing teams at Pitman Training Head Quarters

What are the other benefits of buying a resale?

Established client base, with repeat business

A database of private and corporate prospects (over 2k)

Established location

Established systems and processes

Excellent staff establishment

What is a typical day for you as a Pitman franchisee?

Brief early morning meeting with centre Administrator and Course Adviser to establish priorities for the day.

A love for retail and good coffee led Paul to Really Awesome Coffee

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Really Awesome Coffee franchise business?
I’ve worked in retail for 30 years, from Saturday jobs as a boy to Area manager, simply because I love working with people. My last employer was Boot, prior to this I had worked for several retailers in the sports and outdoor sector as an area manager.

Being a retail manager I wanted to get back to just serving customers and having a good laugh with them. That’s not so easy to do as a store manager in a corporate environment. I’ve been working virtually every weekend for years and wanted to be able to spend more time with my children at weekends before they fly the nest.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the coffee industry? And why a Really Awesome Coffee franchise?Franchising is statistically a safer bet when starting a business, it also makes the start up easier. The ongoing support allows you to focus on the business more.

I chose the mobile coffee van market for several reasons: Firstly I love coffee (I was on two lattes a day from a well-known high street brand), secondly the market is growing with real potential for developing additional products, thirdly it’s all about people and service. Finally, it’s outdoors and I love the idea of being outside in all weathers!

How did you raise the finance?
With support from family and a bit of re-mortgaging to re-arrange our existing finances.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
Kevin (Franchise Director) was really good in helping me and my wife understanding the franchise via meetings, e-mail and phone calls. I was trained by the Franchise Development Manager who was with me every step of the way, it was fun and I learnt quickly. I was impressed with the passion and deep understanding of the business from all of the team. Kevin has surrounded himself with a small team of helpful and dedicated people who understand how they need to really care for the franchisees and support them on a daily basis.

What is a typical day for you as a Really Awesome Coffee franchisee?Fun, busy and over in the blink of an eye. It’s never dull, there’s always a joke to crack or a word of support to offer a customer. It’s like you’re the barman at the local pub; you listen, make the customer feel comfortable, you share their daily ups and downs then serve their coffee, lunch and anything else they need then you move on to your next stop. The days fly by as you switch from comedian to counsellor to doctor to vicar to best friend to social worker and so on.

It’s all about being the person your customer needs when they need it. Coffee and sandwiches are only part of the service. In addition to this there’s the food safety, stock control, marketing and accounts to consider.

What challenges have you faced?
My biggest challenge has been the competition. I have a similar van on my patch that is really established. But slowly and surely I am winning new customers which is great, plus I love a challenge. But it does just show how hard it is to break a habit.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?I wouldn’t say it’s changed my personal life, but I am certainly more relaxed and really enjoying work for the first time in years. I have found a healthy work-life balance that I set out to find.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Find a franchisor that is genuine, utterly passionate about their brand and has a set of values that match your own. After all this is a big financial and emotional commitment, it’s not quite like being married but you need the same levels of trust & support.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?
Passion for the brand, a strong work ethic, resilience and determination are all key factors. But the biggest asset any franchisee has is their own personal standards in terms of their service, their presentation and their ability manage product. You have to set high standards of yourself every day.

Signs Express' first franchise celebrates 25 years

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Signs Express franchise business?

After a career in retail management, where my main function was to facilitate the roll out of what is now a household name across the South-East, I was looking for a change. I then spent some time in Canada where I came across the sign franchise concept, which greatly appealed to me.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the sign industry? And why a Signs Express franchise?

Although I had a broad range of experience from my time in retail, there were many elements of business which were completely new to me. As a real team player, I liked the idea of being in business for myself, but not by myself.

I’d always had an interest in graphics and design and knew I wanted a management franchise rather than a man in a van operation, so Signs Express seemed like the perfect fit for me.

How did you raise the finance?

I raised the initial investment and start-up costs from personal savings, which I combined with bank finance supported by the Government Small Forms Loan Guarantee Scheme at the time.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

I received full training and ongoing support around all elements of running a sign business. Obviously, our support needs have changed as the business has developed and the staff at the Franchise Support Centre have always been very supportive and flexible in the help they offer myself and my team.

What is a typical day for you as a Signs Express franchisee?

The great thing about the sign industry is its diversity. I tend to focus on key customers and larger projects, splitting my time between site visits and office work whilst keeping an overview of the ongoing daily bread and butter of the business.

What challenges have you faced?

In a deadline driven, customer focussed industry, the challenges are many and varied! Having been established for 25 years we’ve worked hard to establish a great reputation by offering excellent, consistent service. As a result, we have built a very broad and loyal customer base locally.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?

Definitely. I now enjoy the freedom and financial rewards of running my own operation and take great personal enjoyment in seeing members of my team continue to grow within the business.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?

Research your chosen business sector thoroughly and be clear in your own mind about what you are prepared to sacrifice to be a success. There’s no magic formula beyond ensuring that you join an established franchise with a proven business model, in an industry you enjoy. You must be prepared to work your socks off to make it successful.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?

A credible, realistic, hard worker, prepared to follow a proven system and do whatever it takes to keep customers happy and ensure they return.

What are your plans for the future?

To keep growing and developing both my business and fantastic team, which will then allow me to spend more time at our home in the French Alps skiing!

What would you say have been your highlights so far as a franchisee?

There have been many, but developing a great team and being part of a truly successful franchise network and seeing it grow since I became a franchisee in 1992 has been, and continues to be, extremely rewarding.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your TaxAssist Accountants franchise business?
I am a Chartered Accountant and had worked for 2 large multi-nationals over the preceding 20 years, spending a few years overseas with one of them. In late 2007 the opportunity arose to exit my employer with a lump sum and, rather than look for another job, I decided it was time to work for myself.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the accountancy industry? And why a TaxAssist franchise?
At that time my wife owned a franchise in a different industry and, having helped her with her initial research, I was aware of the benefits of buying a franchise.

The decision then was which one? I looked at various ‘white collar’ options but decided to stick to what I sweated to get the professional qualifications in – ie accountancy.

As part of my research I went along to discovery days for the 2 main options available and it was an easy decision to choose to invest in a TaxAssist franchise. Thankfully the Cambridge territory was available for purchase.

How did you raise the finance?
Whilst I had funds available I knew that I would have an additional cash requirement to be able to allow the business to develop properly in its initial phase. I wrote a business plan and put together financials – using a model provided by the franchisor – and secured the funding I needed from NatWest.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?The initial training was for 6 weeks and covered both technical, marketing and systems related matters along with how to operate the business model. There was further training after 2, 3 and 6 months and ongoing support – whether technical or for general business matters - is always readily available from the Support Centre in Norwich.

What is a typical day for you as a TaxAssist franchisee?
I’m not sure a typical day exists! If it does, the nature of it has certainly changed over the last 8 years. In the early days, it involves seeing all new prospects and doing most of the work, alongside general running of a business, whereas now in reality I do very little actual technical work. I am looking after larger clients, reviewing fees and managing the 8 other individuals in my team.

What challenges have you faced?
The challenges I have faced have been no different to those faced by any new business. Building a business involves many other things above just doing the work you are technically able to do. There are premises and your finances to look after, staff to look after and develop and, in my game, constant legislative changes to understand.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Running your own business isn’t something everyone either wants to do or is suited to do. It can be lonely at times, but owning a franchise in a successful network with a good franchisor gives you great support. If I had decided to just be my own boss I would have needed to buy things like technical support, systems, training as well as marketing support – so why not have them all under one roof as part of a franchise. The key thing is that being part of a successful franchise has meant that my business has grown much, much quicker than it would have done otherwise.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Be thorough with your research, don’t be afraid to ask hard questions and speak to existing franchisees.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?
Someone who doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. You bought a franchise for a reason so follow the model and be successful.

What are your plans for the future?
Due to continued business growth I am looking for additional premises whilst making the business less reliant on my full-time presence.

Would you do it again?
In a heartbeat! I wish I could have done it sooner!

Cleanhome franchise ticks all the boxes

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Cleanhome franchise business?
Having owned our own business which we sold, we were then looking for another “challenge”. We also own a number of properties which we rent out.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the cleaning industry? And why a Cleanhome franchise?
We like franchising as any good franchisor should have already made the mistakes and so you can get your business up and running quickly and with more support than “going it alone”. There is so much choice out there, you need to spend time ensuring you are getting into something that fits with your skills, values and long term goals, also you need to like the people that you are going into business with. Cleaning seemed to be a booming market and one which we could see would have good long term growth.

How did you raise the finance?
Savings

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
We had two days of initial training, there are meetings for all franchisees twice a year and constant telephone support from HO as well as the network of other franchisees who are always happy to give advice and support.

What is a typical day for you as a Cleanhome franchisee?
Every day is different for us and as we have employed a manager she now deals with the day to day running of the business we are able to concentrate on building the business and running it in the most efficient way possible.

What challenges have you faced?
Coming from a fairly laid back life style, when we first started Cleanhome it really was full on with phones ringing, going to see clients and cleaners, doing the back office work, etc, it was a bit of a shock to the system, but, when you see your T/O going up you know you are going in the right direction.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Always make sure that you are choosing a franchise that fits with your values and skill set. Listen to your instincts.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?
Someone who is going to put in 100% effort and follow the system that you are buying into, it is there for a reason so do it! You need to be organised and learn from your franchisor and others in the network. Always continue to learn.

What are your plans for the future?
We will continue to grow the business, ensuring our employee is happy and fulfilled in her role by putting systems in place which will give us all the lifestyles that we want.

From part time worker to owner

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Nicholas Humphreys franchise business?
I was studying at Loughborough University when I meet Nicholas Humphreys for some part time work. When it came to looking for work, a Nicholas Humphreys Franchise opportunity became a good opportunity.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the estate agency industry? And why a Nicholas Humphreys franchise?
I did not have the experience or skill to have done so by myself. It seemed like a good opportunity in an industry that appealed to me.

How did you raise the finance for you franchise?
I paid for half myself and borrowed the rest from family.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
The initial support was excellent. Since then there has been periodic support from other franchisees and the franchise team.

What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?
Every day is different, starting a business from scratch means that you see and interact with all the aspects of that business. This means that you know the ins and outs which is always important.

What challenges have you faced?
It has been a serious learning curve, not just due to being new to the industry but being new to the working world as a whole. Being you own boss has a lot of responsibility.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Yes it has because it has taught me how to work independently and keep myself motivated. It is difficult not to be changed by suddenly making all of the decisions which have a direct effect on your success, for better or for worse.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Make sure you have an excellent support structure around and plan in years as well as months.

What qualities do you think make a successful franchisee? Determination and a lack of self-doubt.

What are your plans for the future?
Expand. Possibly getting a new branch and entering the property market for myself.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Nicholas Humphreys franchise business?
My parents had their own bakery, so having your own business was always in my blood. I had a successful career in retail, fulfilling various roles including Regional and District field roles for two high street retailers, before deciding to look into what opportunities were available to me.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the estate agency industry? And why a Nicholas Humphreys franchise?
Having had enough of the corporate world and working for others, I decided that the time was right to have my own business.

However, setting up a business from scratch has a far lower chance of success verses an established and well-run business. This led me to look at franchising.

I’ve some experience of the estate agency industry as some of my family are involved in it, which gave me the opportunity to look at it first.

I looked at 10 different Estate Agent Franchises, and they all offered different packages, differing levels of quality, support and cost. I took the Nicholas Humphreys franchise as I felt confident in the openness and the willingness to answer questions, which some other franchises wouldn’t. In addition, I found that the support systems and especially the people I met, including the other franchisees, gave me confidence that I was getting value for money, but most importantly the ongoing support I’d need to be successful. It’s a people based business.

How did you raise the finance for you franchise?
I was lucky to have my own saving which covered this.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
I had combination of one-on-one classroom training and working in a branch for the first 4 weeks up to my launch. I then had 3 days per week from the franchise team onsite at my branch for 4 weeks and 2 days per week for the following 8 weeks. I now have a monthly support day, but most importantly a network to support me including accounts, a legal help line, IT, the franchise team and a great group of other franchisees.

What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?
There hasn’t been one yet! With the support systems we have, I am able to concentrate on business generation and converting that business and giving my clients the level of service I’d expect.

What challenges have you faced?
The biggest challenge for me was setting up my business, finding a good small business accountant, finding an office in the right place and getting past the HMRC, so that I was correctly and legally set up from the start.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Yes. I work harder than I did before, but the enjoyment of success, no matter how small, is greater. You do need to have the full support of your wife and family, but my family reckon I’m far more relaxed for the change.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Research, and when you’ve researched it, do some more research. Meet the people and ensure they have a common interest in your ongoing success.

In your opinion, why is East England a great place for franchising?
It’s growing and as road links have improved, the market place has expanded with more building and demand.

What qualities do you think make a successful franchisee?
Resilient – when you have a bad day/experience, you must dust yourself down and get on with it. No one else is going to do it for you….you’re responsible.
Be humble and reach out to different people to help and advise you.

Be able to step back from the day to day stuff and assess if you’re delivering your business goals and what you need to do differently.

Never stop asking questions to understand the market place you’re in.

What are your plans for the future?
Continue to grow the business over the next 5 years, taking on a team and perhaps taking another franchise area.

Interview with Really Awesome Coffee franchisee for Ipswich

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your Really Awesome Coffee franchise business?
My name is David Braddy, I run the Really Awesome Coffee Ipswich franchise in Suffolk along with my wife Karen. For the last 20 years I owned a coffee and snacks vending business.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose the coffee franchise industry? And why a Really Awesome Coffee franchise?
Although I had some experience with coffee, I didn’t have the skills to build and launch a mobile cafe van and wanted a healthier work-life balance along with the ongoing support that a franchise offers. I have a passion for great coffee and was looking for a mobile coffee business. After searching I came across the Really Awesome Coffee franchise that seemed to fit the bill.

How did you raise the finance?
I was lucky in that I was able to finance the franchise through the sale of my previous company.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
The training was excellent; I received quality barista training so I could serve great tasting coffee consistently. They also helped me identify customers and build my daily round along with everything needed to run my business effectively. The team also launched my business with me, they were on hand helping me serve coffee and introduce the business to my customers. Ongoing, they followed up with visits and are always available on the phone or email at any time.

What is a typical day for you as a Really Awesome Coffee franchisee?
We arrive at our first stop at 8:30am and visit approximately 20 locations serving our regular customers. We generally arrive back at base at around 2:00pm. From then on we do our small duties such as cleaning and sorting the van, cashing up and organising for the next day.

What challenges have you faced?
Initially some challenges were: having to learn to operate the vehicle, become a good barista and identify new sites and customers, all of which the franchise team helped us overcome.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Most certainly, we now own a lifestyle business that suits us which we didn’t have with the previous venture. It has made life and work much simpler such as having no staff to organise.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Make such you do your research and know what you are getting in to. Running a franchise can be seen as an easier route if you want to be your own boss, which is true but you still have to put in the work and have a get up and go attitude.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?
Being adaptable and prepared to learn new skills

What are your plans for the future?
Keeping our customers happy with our awesome products and service

Interview with WPA Healthcare’s Norwich franchisee

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying your WPA franchise business?
Before buying the WPA franchise, I ran our family business which were two Euronics centre’s in Mid Norfolk which had been in the family for over 90years.

Why did you go down the franchise route? What made you choose you’re the insurance industry? And why a WPA franchise?
Having been a customer of WPA for about 10 years, I was well-aware for their good reputation and was looking for another business to take me to retirement. My local representative mentioned about WPA being a franchise business and it seemed to fit my ambitions. I was impressed with the support that WPA provided me in the early stages which has helped me grow the business to the size it is today.

How did you raise the finance?
I had an old endowment policy from my Norwich Union days about to mature which covered the relatively low purchase price. Having a business background, I realised immediately that the franchise fee is incredibly low compared to the support you receive as a new franchisee and the earning potential.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
The initial training covered all aspects and cannot be faltered. This was a five day residential course at WPA head office in Somerset. There was a follow up course 6 weeks after the initial training course to give us a chance to share ideas having made some mistake in the first few weeks! Ongoing, WPA run quarterly meetings as a region and a national conference every 6 months where the whole franchise team (76 healthcare partners) get together.

WPA also launched a training academy for all franchisees in their first 2 years which is a great idea. It gets everyone together to knowledge share and improve our skills. It’s also great team building as we get to share 3 days together in an intense training environment.

What is a typical day for you as a WPA franchisee?
Typically a day involves meeting potential new customers (discussion usually involving a cup of tea!), attending networking meetings, meeting with existing customers about their policy renewal and completing any necessary paperwork

What challenges have you faced?
Like with any business, the initial launch phase is hard work and takes a lot of patience and effort. This wasn’t a surprise to me as it was made clear that the first 18 months – 2 years are tough but all new franchisees are assigned a mentor for 2 years which helped me through this phase.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
Joining WPA has changed my life. I am now 52 and have had a varied work history involving 4 different roles and I can honestly say this is the best job/career I have ever had. WPA are a fantastic company to be associated with, professionally and caring. I think I perhaps appreciate it more as I have worked elsewhere and can compare from experience.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?
Look into it closely, not only the business potential but also the life style change it will make to both you and your family.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?
Don’t get me wrong you need to work hard, but I believe the key is to enjoy it.

What are your plans for the future?
I am planning to stay in this role until retirement and sell the client base which is my asset.

Cleanhome Norwich is launching!

Following a successful career as a marketing manager in a FTSE 100 company, Rebecca Greenall decided the time was right to start her own business and she will be launching her Cleanhome Norwich branch in January 2017.

Rebecca knew how Cleanhome can help her build a successful business first hand as she used to live next door to Nicola and Laurie Ryan from Cleanhome East Cambridge so when she was made redundant she decided to invest the redundancy money into starting her own franchise business.

Rebecca, who has a two year old daughter, is looking forward to being able to spend more time with her family but is also really excited about being her own boss and challenging herself.

Rebecca has so far found her Cleanhome experience, from initial fact finding, through to signature of contract and setting up the business, so very straightforward:

‘I can’t wait to get started. My first impressions are that this is a very professionally run franchise and I will receive support where required, there are regular training days, and I’m looking forward to meeting the other franchisees to learn from them, and hopefully, in time, help them with ideas of my own.’

Interview with Rachel Jackson, Oscar Pet Food, Hertfordshire

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to buying a franchise business?

I worked full time as a project manager in a civil engineering consultancy.

What attracted you to franchising versus started starting up on your own or finding employment?

My husband and I were Oscar’ customers; feeding our own dog Oscars food. When the franchisee we bought our food from announced their retirement and sale of their business we started to look a lot into Oscars and whether a franchise would work for us. We liked the support and branding of a franchise, as it gave us the confidence that the business could work.

Why did you choose Oscar Pet Food franchise? What research did you undertake?

As customers we were already confident in the product and like the service offered. We looked at other similar franchises on the market, but liked the support offered from Oscars to continue growing our business even after the sale of the franchise. As we love animals, it seemed the obvious choice to do something we enjoyed!

Do you feel there is enough support or training in the industry, or externally, to help mums looking to get back into work and considering starting a business? What additional support do you think would help?

"Oscars have been extremely supportive and understanding that we work our business around our young family."

We have the opportunity to attend regional meetings to meet with other franchisees and members of the management team, to share ideas and learn about new products and industry developments.

There are also regular conference calls between the management team and franchisees on different aspects which is perfect as you don’t even need to leave home! The franchisee support team have also attended meetings with me at home to help to work on marketing ideas that fit in with our family life style and our business.

How did you raise the finance for funding your franchise? Did you use any financial support (grants etc) specific to business startup?

We applied for a small business loan from the bank. Oscars helped us with our business plan so we were confident when meeting the bank manager.

What training and support did you receive initially from your Franchisor?

We attended a residential training course and then had the support of a field trainer who worked with us in our area to start to build the business. Our trainer was also available to answer any questions over the phone if they arose.

After dropping my son at nursery I usually sort out any paper work in the office such as invoicing my customers and processing their card payments. I organise my delivery route and print off my stock picking sheet whilst my daughter has a nap. I then load my van ready with stock for that day’s deliveries.

After collecting my son from nursery we have lunch and then spend the afternoon in the van delivering to our customers. Once my children are in bed I call or text my customers to see if they need a delivery the following day and put their orders on to my management system ready for the morning.

Balancing work and family life is important for all franchisees but more so for working parents, do you think franchising gives a good work and family life balance? Has becoming a franchisee changed you and your family’s life?

With the business model already in place, it allows franchisees to follow a tried and tested formula, so you can concentrate on the things that really matter and grow the business.

"Becoming a franchisee has allowed me to continue working and earning a living, whilst at the same time working flexibly so that I can look after and spend time my children."

Did you take advantage of any support available to women looking to get into business? E.g. member of a women in business network, attend any specific women business events?

No not yet, but I am aware of several groups in my area.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give other mums looking to get back into work and considering starting their own business through franchising?

Look at as several different franchises so you can pick the right one to suit you and your family. Make sure that the franchisor offers ongoing support after the purchase of the franchise. You need to be organised and self disciplined, but it’s a great opportunity.

Nationwide company launches local branch in Colchester

Buying tyres has just got a lot easier and more convenient in Colchester and the surrounding areas, thanks to the launch of a new etyres branch.

Nathan Head has hit the ground running with the opening of etyres Colchester and will be fitting tyres and batteries for customers at their home or work at low prices.

“Our service takes all the hassle out of buying tyres and having them fitted,” Nathan, 30, explained: “Motorists in Colchester and all of the surrounding areas can now sit back and relax at home or carry on at work while their new tyres are fitted at a time that suits them.

“It means they don’t have to waste their time driving to a local tyre depot and sitting around in a draughty waiting room while the job is done.

“And because we have low overheads, we can pass big savings on to our customers with prices much lower than the leading high street fast-fits thanks to the etyres Discount Promise.”

Driver Hire franchise heads for Huntingdon

Rob Stead is the latest recruit to the Driver Hire franchise network. He’s just bought their Huntingdon territory. A greenfield site, along with Huntingdon, the office also covers Chatteris, St Neots and St Ives.

Rob’s business background is rich and varied, starting in property management before joining Hypo Bank in the City of London where he became an administrative accountant, producing management information for their European operations. When his employers relocated to Germany, Rob decided it was time to look for a new challenge.

“I’d no preconceived ideas about what I wanted to do,” says Rob. “I came across Driver Hire at a franchise exhibition and learnt that it’s one of the UK’s leading franchises, with a proven business model and a long-history of success. I did some research and spent time with one of their existing franchisees. His candid advice was one of the key reasons I decided to invest.”

Driver Hire provides temporary and permanent drivers and other logistics staff to organisations across the UK. They help when customers need extra staff to deal with holidays, illness or business expansion. Driver Hire is also a leading provider of Driver CPC and other logistics training.

“Over the past 30 years Driver Hire has built an excellent reputation as a franchisor,” says Rob. “The levels of support I’ve received so far have been outstanding. I’ve just completed a two week foundation training course and, as a new franchisee, for the next six months, I’m part of their Franchise Development Programme. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of running my own business and meeting the staffing needs of local businesses here in Huntingdon.”

Interview with Gary Riches of Driver Hire, Colchester

Before buying his Driver Hire franchise in November 2012, Gary hadn’t really considered owning a recruitment business.

“Before joining the world of commerce, I was a serviceman in the Royal Corps of Transport and I subsequently worked in sales for a number of big brand courier companies. Recruitment wasn’t on my radar. What actually alerted me to the excellent business opportunities with a Driver Hire franchise was my experience of using their Bury St Edmunds office, as a client.”

The franchise business model seemed pretty straightforward, where the ingredients to a healthy business income are simply matching candidates with clients at the right time, good sales activity and providing excellent customer service.”

Having bought the business as a resale – the business was already established – Gary has already achieved significant business growth. And he has also started winning awards. Gary was recognised at the coveted annual ‘Startups Awards’ when he won the ‘Franchisee of the Year’ category in the autumn of 2013. He was also named Driver Hire’s New Start of the Year 2013.

Gary adds: “The last financial year [2013/14] was a great year, especially as sales tipped over the £1 million mark. So naturally I’m looking to grow the business even further. There’s always room for improvement and being part of the Driver Hire network means that we can also tap into their additional revenue streams such as training and licence checking services.”

When asked what persuaded him that Driver Hire was the right franchised business for him, Gary explains, “One of the things that convinced me to invest was how easy it was to get finance to buy the business. One of the banks I spoke to was more than willing to lend me the funds, when I told them it was a Driver Hire franchise I was looking to buy.”

It’s been a great move and I love what I do.”

A partnership made in Oscar Pet Foods

We just wanted to change our lifestyle. The long unsociable hours of working in the public transport sector had reached the point of no return for me, resulting in the decision for Teresa and I to build a business together.

It has been a long-term dream and to find OSCAR for sale in our area came just at the right time and with a product that gave us the chance to work with something we love – pets!

Some years ago we were OSCAR customers in another area so we understood the benefits of the food and the excellent service. Meeting the franchise team, who were extremely supportive, confirmed that no other franchise would take our interest.

The process of buying an existing business was thorough and seamless, which has helped us to adapt with ease, happily meeting existing customers while looking forward to new challenges over the coming months.

Supported by an excellent range of products we can also provide our elderly rescue dogs Skeet, Lucy and Freddie with a senior diet that includes a mobility system to help them maintain good health at this stage of their lives.

Card Connection franchisee adds to territory

Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced its franchise for Bury St Edmunds and Kings Lynn has added to his territory.

Former sales executive and maths teacher, Michael Hayes, has taken over a further 50 stores in his area expansion, which now means he takes over the supply and merchandising of Card Connection’s range of more than 1,200 quality greeting cards and accessories to around 200 retail outlets in the region.

“My franchise territory now includes more of Suffolk and Norfolk incorporating the towns of Stowmarket and Diss over to the Suffolk coast,” confirms Michael Hayes. “I originally started with 110 retail clients in 2009 and have grown the franchise to 150 but wanted to get to a nice round figure of 200 as soon as I could and purchasing the extra area has enabled me to do this!

“To manage the increased business, my part-time employee who helps me pick and pack the greetings cards ready for delivery, has increased her hours, which means I can spend more time on the road,” explains Michael. “I used to visit about six stores per day and now will aim to increase this to seven or eight.

“My mathematical background has been helpful when it comes to analysing sales to see which greetings card designs are selling best,” continues Michael. “Planning out call routes is also important and I really enjoy this aspect of the role. Liaising with customers face-to-face is particularly satisfying and I also like the creative aspect of merchandising the card displays. In-fact I enjoy everything about my Card Connection franchise!”

Card Connection which last year celebrated its 21st year in operation as a franchisor is one of the UK’s largest card publishers and is the market leader in the franchised distribution of greeting cards. The business’ unique model of consignment sales has resulted in a strong brand and established reputation which has been proven over many years. Through its franchisees Card Connection supplies about 12,000 retailers throughout the UK.

Card Connection is part of UK Greetings, which is a subsidiary of American Greetings Inc., one of the largest greeting card publishers in the world and has limited vacancies for franchisees that are keen to run an expanding business. Since the franchise network in the UK is complete, the available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already-established territory from an existing franchisee. These vary in price according to their level of development, but start at £7k + Stock + Card Connection fee with earnings potential in excess of £50k per annum.

Belvoir franchisee shortlisted for National award

Belvoir are proud to announce that Terry Lucking of Belvoir Peterborough and Belvoir Cambridge has been shortlisted at this year’s British Franchise Association (bfa) HSBC Franchisee of the Year Awards, supported by Express Newspapers.

This is the 25th bfa Franchisee of the Year Awards and the winners will be announced at a prestigious black-tie ceremony due to take place at Birmingham Town Hall on the 2nd October.

Terry has been shortlisted in the Olderpreneur Franchisee category, which aims to recognise those who have utilised their wealth of experience to run and grow a successful franchise.

Other categories include best Young Franchisee, B2B Franchisee, Female Franchisee, Micro-Business Franchisee, and best Customer Service.

Terry will also have the chance to win the coveted Franchisee of the Year Award, which will recognise an overall winner from the 19 finalists across all of the categories.

Terry said: “I am very proud to have been shortlisted as Franchisee of the Year, which I won in 2007. I went to London last month and gave a presentation on what I have achieved from an entrepreneurial point of view, and the work that I do for the wider franchise network. I am really looking forward to the bfa award ceremony later this year, as it is a very enjoyable, slick and high profile event.”

Brian Smart, Director General, bfa, said: “This year the finalists excel in their sectors, demonstrating business drive and ambition. The shortlisted business men and women showcase the talent in franchising in the UK across a range of commerce, small and large. Their successes deserve to be championed, and we’re all looking forward to the judging process.”

15 years in business
Last month, Terry also celebrated 15 years with the Belvoir network. He opened his first Belvoir franchise in Peterborough in 1999 and has also owned Belvoir Cambridge since 2010.

“My team recently presented me with a plaque to celebrate 15 years in business, which was fantastic, and I would like to pay tribute to them as I really could not have achieved any of this without them,” says Terry. “It is my team that gives me the space and time to be able to do the things I do and to keep on taking the business forward.”

Steve Sleigh talks about life as a Mail Boxes Etc franchisee

Colchester-based businessman Steve Sleigh opened his first franchised Mail Boxes Etc. store in Colchester in 2000. Now with a second store in Ipswich, he is very proactive within the franchise and continues to serve on MBE’s network council, an advisory body of franchisees and MBE management, as well as on the separate marketing council.

He is also well known in his home town and has received awards from the local Colchester and District Business Awards in the “business to business” category and subsequently for excellent customer service.

Additionally, he has received Mail Boxes Etc.’s own accolade of “Franchisee of the year” in recognition of his outstanding achievements and business development and also for his unique contribution to the success of the MBE network as a whole.

Steve had been thinking about changing his working life but was not consciously considering franchising when he came across Mail Boxes Etc. He was driving through heavy London traffic when he caught a snatch of a radio programme that instantly grabbed his attention. It was an interview on a business programme about global franchise MBE and its wide range of business, postal and communications services.

That few minutes on the airwaves were enough to set Steve on the path to self-employment and a complete change in his life. He says: “It really intrigued me and I was extremely keen to find out more.”

Steve explained: “I had become disenchanted with my job as a sales rep for printing companies and wanted to do something different, preferably working for myself. I was cautious because past experience of “dabbling” in two small businesses I’d set up meant I was well aware of the pitfalls of being my own boss.

“Many years ago I’d had my own small printing firm and, at a later stage, a business selling and installing automatic gates and garage doors. In both cases, the market place was crowded and the margins were small. It meant hard work and a lot of headaches – with no-one to share it with.

“I’d read about franchising and understood the concept. I particularly liked the idea of working for myself but the real appeal is the back-up and support that comes from being part of a bigger organisation. I also believe it’s a huge benefit being able to talk to other franchisees and learn from their experiences.

“Colchester is an ideal town for this business – it is a rapidly expanding place with a thriving business community ranging from self-employed people and small enterprises to government departments and large corporations – exactly the right customer mix for us.

“Hearing that radio broadcast was a lucky break for me,” Steve says enthusiastically. “MBE matched exactly what I’d been looking for and I’m thrilled to say that things are going really well. I believe MBE’s strength is in its ability to adapt to constantly changing demands as business methods change and by tailoring services to suit the local market place to ensure we provide what customers want.”

His Ipswich store offers the same wide range of services to a similar customer base as Colchester. He says: “Expanding with a second store had always been in the back of my mind and I was keen to make the most of the opportunity when it presented itself.”

He splits his time between the two stores, concentrating on marketing and developing the business while his staff of seven people look after the day to day running of the stores.
Steve says: “It works well because I have very capable and reliable people working for me. They know the business inside out and use their initiative, so I don’t have to worry. If they have a genuine concern or need a prompt decision, I am only ever a phone call away.”

Steve continued: “We pride ourselves on offering support and advice to other businesses. We have the ability to be extremely flexible, for example to meet tight deadlines, which can be invaluable to customers, especially in times of crisis.

“In addition, many businesses outsource parts of their operations to us. For example, we act as the post room and the print department for many companies because we have the capacity to do jobs quickly, accurately and often more cost-effectively than in-house.”

MBE’s franchisees come from all walks of life and, like Steve, have joined the network for a variety of individual reasons. Currently MBE’s franchisees include people who were previously company directors, IT managers, those working in banking and finance, marketing, nursing and the Armed Services.

MBE is keen to find more people with the same dynamism and business acumen as Steve to join the network. Although the franchise is well represented in many major towns and cities across the UK and Ireland there remains considerable scope for future expansion.

Leading ‘bumps and scuffs’ repairer comes to Chelmsford

Revive!, the UK’s leading provider of minor paint and bodywork repairs for vehicles, is opening for business in Chelmsford.

After serving 22 years as a Royal Signals Sergeant, Peter Mulcahy (41) is ready for a new challenge and will own and manage Revive! Chelmsford with the help of his step son Zac.

Said Peter: “I’ve always wanted to run my own business and fully control what happens around me. Together, Zac and I aim is to establish Revive! as the number one SMART repairer in the area. We will work hard to establish ourselves, earn a good reputation and build a solid base of work.”

Peter has high ambitions for his business, which only uses repair technicians accredited by the Institute of the Motor Industry, providing quality, cost effective repairs at a time and place to suit customers.

Explained Peter: “In time I will expand the business from ‘one man in a van’ to a fleet of vehicles servicing the Southend area as well.”

Revive! works with car dealerships, fleet and lease companies, insurance companies and the general public. All work carries a lifetime ownership guarantee.

etyre franchisee supported each step of the way

Franchisee: Ben LockettTerritory: CambridgeFranchise: etyres

etyres Cambridge case study – Learning from the family, Ben’s story

Ben Lockett launched etyres Cambridge in 2008, having previously gained three years’ experience with his parents’ etyres franchise in the Crewe territory. From day one of opening the Cambridge branch Ben has been so busy that he had to add extra vans to cope with orders.

In 2008 Ben made the decision to relocate from Crewe to Cambridge, this also coincided with his parents’ decision to retire from the franchise after seven happy years. Luckily for Ben the Cambridge territory was vacant and a swap of territories was arranged. “I was delighted that the Cambridge territory was available, knowing the etyres commitment to its Franchise Owners made the whole process seamless. I was up and running in the new territory within a matter of weeks” recalls Ben.

Ben had previously gained an in depth understanding of the requirements of an etyres Franchise Owner, and lots of hands on experience of the business model as a result of helping his parents with etyres Crewe. This experience confirmed that etyres was the right move for him and his family. This familiarity with the etyres business model and its ethos meant Ben hit the ground running, and within a few months needed to add a second van to cope with the flood of orders. “I’ve been very busy since day one, and it hasn’t slowed down yet” Ben confirmed. Ben soon realised that demand is high for mobile tyre fitting services that don’t charge a premium for call out. Ben was able to achieve such early growth as a result of providing excellent customer service at no extra cost and offering a next or in some cases a same day service.

Ben’s dedication to growing the business through local marketing activities is one of the key factors to his success. He has built up excellent local brand awareness and has seen a strong return on investment from activities such as local leafleting and location specific online advertising. These local marketing activities are further supported by Head Office with the production of brand specific collateral, advice and national marketing campaigns. “The support that the Head Office team give me with sales and marketing has really helped me to drive the business forward” confirms Ben.

“The national sales team allow me to be out on the road whilst still taking new bookings.” The etyres national sales team operates seven days a week delivering sales to Franchise Owners as a result of advising customers on the correct tyres, booking jobs and ordering the tyres for the Franchise Owners. On average the Cambridge territory deals with over 80 customers a week, this places the brand at, or near the top of our etyres national ‘most tyres per van’ ranking. “The business opportunities have meant that I have had to employ extra staff and add an extra two vans to my fleet to deal with demand. I have seen the benefits that can be achieved and look forward to continuing my relationship with etyres.”

From the outset what originally attracted Ben and his family to etyres was the potential for growth, combined with on-going training and support from the Head Office team and Operations Managers. Over the years Ben has found the business to be recession proof because everyone will at some stage need new tyres, and with more than 34 million vehicles on the road this provides a steady stream of business. With two additional vans Ben can currently only reach an average of 2% of his target demographic households within his region. This means he has plenty of scope to further expand if he continues at his current rate and the etyres Head Office and operations team will be there every step of the way to offer advice and assistance.

Revive! franchisee goes for gold

August 2012 will go down in UK history as the month that team GB did the country proud in the Olympics – and for Cambridge businessman Nathan Holmes it also marked his own personal achievement -smashing the company’s national record for monthly sales!

Nathan from Huntingdon set up Revive! Cambridge five years ago, a mobile repair service specialising in repairing minor scuffs and scrapes to vehicle bodywork and alloy wheels. He started with just one van and now there are five on the road. In August the company carried out £34,500 worth of work for local car dealerships, fleet management companies and private motorists.

He said:“ Month by month I could see the sales figure rising, but even I was staggered when I realised that we were heading for our biggest total ever, beating the previous month’s figures by over £10,000.”

Revive! has the largest network of smart repairers in the UK and has its own IMI accredited training centre. Each technician owns his own business covering 105 regions throughout the country. The previous record was held by Revive! Luton for achieving sales of £29,500 in a single month.

From the beginning Nathan knew he wanted to build a business not just be a one man band. His strategy for growth saw him adding another van and technician each year and three months ago recruited a business development manager to drive expansion.

Revive! Cambridge carries out work for most of the major car dealerships in the area and has just added the Bentley Dealership to its customer list. Whilst most of the work comes from garages around 20% of the team’s time is spent repairing minor scuffs and scrapes for private motorists who have heard about their outstanding service.

Nathan continued: “It’s not just luck – we have all worked extremely hard to ensure that the business grows through reputation. Customer service and quality of work is the key to our success. I make it my policy to speak with customers properly, and train my technicians to do the same. Our work has to be of the highest quality, and everyone knows that I will be checking on jobs to make sure that standards are maintained. If I am not happy with the work that has been carried out we’ll do it again, and people know that.

He added: “I am incredibly proud of my team, Adrian Holmes, Stuart Lavender, Ollie Hine and Andy Blackhurst. We’re officially the best in the country – and plan to stay in that top slot for the foreseeable future!”

Smart (small to medium area repair technique) repair is a quality, cost effective and time-saving alternative to taking the vehicle to a bodyshop for minor paintwork repairs. Costing far less than most insurance policy excesses, the work is carried out at a time and place to suit the customer, minimising vehicle downtime and protecting the owner’s no claims bonus.

Creativity and your own business with Barrett & Coe!

Why did you go down the franchise route? And why did you choose your franchise?
I liked the fact that there was continued support not only from Barrett and Coe with comprehensive training and continuous advice but also from the network of other franchisees

What did you do before taking up a franchise?
I am a fully qualified teacher having taught for two years and secondary school and a further 10 at a HE College.

How did you raise the finance?
Saving hard and also support and help from family.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
I opted for the easy track method that Barrett and Coe offers as it allowed me to develop my photography skills at a comfortable pace and the way the training is set up it also meant that I could completed the training days at weekends when I was available and also gave me time to study and complete the homework/assignments which were set which was enjoyable.

What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?
At the moment I am devoting my weekends to the business so its hard work but fun. With me currently working full time lecturing my admin is completed in the evenings (Fire up calls, letters sent out and image editing etc) and then I complete shoots on the Saturday and viewings on the Sunday which seems to be working at the moment but I am definitely looking to begin to start my own marketing and setting up local partnerships with suitable companies.

What challenges have you faced?
It’s all a challenge, so if you’re not ready for that stop reading now. I have never had my own business so even small details are tough to get to grips with when your used to just turning up for work and not worrying about keeping accounts, generating new business and dealing with everything linked to the photography but again I have always been someone who likes new challenges so this is another set in the direction of becoming a successful new business. I think one piece of info I would give to anyone looking to start up is be patient and be committed. Its easy to sometimes think it’s all too much but the saying ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ definitely springs to mind with photography.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?
At the moment I would say yes and I don’t have any free time as I am working two jobs, but it’s the long term I looking forward to when I have got the studio to where I want it to be and I am in control of my own destiny.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying their first franchise? Take your time, think about the area you wish to work in, ensure you have the finances to make the step and speak to other franchisees to get a view from the coal face. It’s also important that you have support from those around you (Friends and Family) as it will put you under increased pressure no matter what way you tackle taking on a new business.

What are your plans for the future?
To keep working hard to further develop both my business acumen, and photography skills to lead me to running a very successful photography studio.

Would you do it again?
Its been a lot more challenging than expected, but so far so good and its exciting times ahead and if you can make a business work in the current economic climate then things can only surely get better so a definite YES!

New set of skills achieved by etyres franchisee

Franchisee: Matt McElhinneyTerritory: IpswichFranchise: etyres

Matt McElhinney achieved his personal and financial goals by owning his own business by the time he was 30, when he launched his etyres branch in Ipswich.

A former insurance broker, Matt has worked hard, closely following the etyres system, and his high level of repeat customers adds greatly to the capital value of his business.

Matt said: “I went down the franchise route due to the fact it has a much higher chance of success than starting a new business.

“I chose etyres because everybody needs tyres and I believed that if you offer a decent service at a decent price, saving people time and money, you would soon get a good loyal customer base.”

Matt was very organised in his approach to starting his business. He spoke to existing Franchise Owners and spent a day with a branch. Then he drew up a business plan.

His next step was to arrange finance. Matt explained: “I approached Natwest as they have a specialist franchise lending department.

“They read my business plan, knew I was serious and because etyres is well known to them, they lent me the necessary funds within 15 minutes.”

“The on-going support has been great and there is always someone at the end of a phone when I need it.

“Starting an etyres business has definitely changed my life. It has given me a set of skills that mean I can run a business from start to finish.

“I have learnt every aspect of running a business and what it takes to make it successful. I will be able to apply these skills and this work ethic to any future endeavours.

“Now my plans for the future are to build up my business so it is a valuable asset. The immediate future plan is to carry on providing exceptional service to my customers and increasing the reputation of etyres in my area.

“I am very happy I made this career choice, the on-going support from etyres has been great – I would definitely make the same decision again.”

Doctor brings big business experience to Hertfordshire SMEs

Successful businessman Kevin Blissett is launching a second Business Doctors office in Hertfordshire to provide advice and assistance to small and medium-sized businesses in the mid-Hertfordshire area.

Working alongside existing Business Doctor Georgie Cox, who launched the first Hertfordshire office in October last year, Kevin will work with businesses in St Albans, Hatfield, Harpenden and Potters Bar and the surrounding areas.

Business Doctors is a national organisation, providing expert, friendly, practical support and advice to small and medium-sized businesses. From strategies for sales and profit growth to people engagement and help with accessing funding and financial support, it provides businesses with proven methodologies for success.

Working from a central office in St Albans, Kevin brings with him many years of experience working with the likes of Vodaphone, Citigroup, Xerox, Dell, IBM and Sun Microsystems as well as a number of smaller companies.

He says: “No matter what the size of your business, there are proven processes that lead to long term growth and prosperity. What Business Doctors does is to provide these processes within a structure that I have seen be hugely successful with all businesses looking to get on the right track to success.

“By setting up a Business Doctors office in St Albans and servicing the mid-Hertfordshire area I’m hoping to put something back into my local area, working with young businesses or older businesses seeking to adapt to new times.”

Photo: Business Doctor Kevin Blissett

Confident in the success of TaxAssist Franchise

David Dixon

Colchester, Bishop’s Stortford & Ipswich

January 2011

I am a qualified Chartered Management Accountant and prior to joining TaxAssist Accountants worked as a Group Financial Controller for a large motor dealership group based in Colchester. Prior to that I had many years experience within the small company sector including several years as a director of the family motor dealership business. I also spent a year working in the Stock Exchange following qualification.

I joined TaxAssist Accountants in November 2002 opening my first shop in October 2005. I opened my second in 2007, based purely on the success of my first shop. I opened my third shop in 2010 and I am now planning to open my fourth shop in the autumn. I’ve found that the shop front produces pretty much all the volume of new business that we can handle, putting the business in its best position yet.

In response to the increase of business I now employ five full-time accountants and an administrator between the three shop fronts. I was initially wary of taking on people unless absolutely necessary but I found that it’s clearly the way to go if you want to grow your business. The last thing I want is to have to turn business away so to cope with demand and to maintain good client service the team is absolutely essential.

With three shop fronts, it’s important to put some thought into how to manage both at the same time. I have now appointed a manager to run the Bishop’s Stortford shop front and I am based in Colchester. The third and fourth shop fronts will run on a leaner basis as satellites of the two main business, with one person dealing with clients’ accounts day to day, letting me come in two days a week. I expect the new shop front to grow steadily and when the time’s right I expect I’ll take on a couple more employees in relation to the amount of business. The rate of development with TaxAssist Accountants is very fast – there’s a great deal of potential there for franchisees.

As my business has grown, I’ve continued to make use of the training and support on offer from the Norwich based Support Centre. TaxAssist Accountants have provided me with an incredibly comprehensive training package that included a five-week course that focused on all aspects of running a business. The training taught me new approaches to accounting while reinforcing what I already knew. It gave me the confidence that I would be able to bring success to the business - refocusing my existing skills to ensure I had a full understanding of the TaxAssist Accountants model.

I was initially attracted to TaxAssist Accountants because of the significant support – the whole package is incredibly solid and I found it very reassuring. In fact, since I launched the business in 2002, in many ways the support has kept on getting better. TaxAssist Accountants are dedicated to their franchisees and their advice and guidance is very clear, to the point and incredibly helpful.

I can now report that at Winter 2010 I have a total client base of over 800 with a turnover of around £500k. Net growth in fee bank continues at a steady pace.

gas-elec franchise weathers the recession

The gas-elec group has again bucked the trend and has risen unscathed out of the current economic climate.

“If you don’t adjust to the changes taking place in the world around you then you run the risk of falling behind the game and not keeping abreast of the changing needs of your customers,” says John Davidson, managing director of the gas-elec group.

Nick Morton, gas-elec regional manager for East Anglia, confirms that the business is “recession-resilient” and expects this year’s turnover figure to exceed what he originally targeted. In fact, Nick’s region is delivering business that is increasing exponentially month-on-month and he is continually having to adjust his monthly targets “in a good way”.

Nick manages one of gas-elec’s 18 regional offices situated across the UK. For 14 years this national safety inspection company has provided statutory combined gas and electrical safety inspections to the lettings market, as well as homeowners. This year the company will carry out 120,000 inspections throughout the UK and needs more skilled and semi-skilled people to train as gas-elec safety inspectors.

Business was up 11% across the franchise network in Q1 2009 and during the heart of this recession – October 2008 to May 2009 – gas-elec recorded a massive 9.4% growth, which can be attributed to the increase in the lettings market during this period (a large part of our business is generated here).

“It is actually difficult to set targets at the moment because the market is so good; we just can’t tell what our figures are going to be.”

Nick puts this down to a number of factors. He is getting more quality business out of his existing customer base and he doesn’t see the current boom in lettings stopping any time soon.

“There is some talk within the market that the UK may turn more towards letting than buying, like France and Germany, so we see our business going from strength to strength. In fact, it is predicted that the lettings market will double in the coming ten years. When the homeowner market recovers, gas-elec has products available – such as energy certificates. Really it’s no longer just about gas and electrical services – it’s about supplying an all-round service and the companies that supply the best service get most of the business,” says John.

Gas-elec has a long-established reputation with clients who know that they can depend on the impartiality of the reports. They also know that we offer competitive deals, such as the recently launched gas-elec’s g-warm+ deal.

The gas-elec franchise is a two-tier franchise with regional management franchisees and safety inspection working together in partnership in their various areas. Ongoing business support for all franchisees includes sales and marketing, appointment making, centralised invoicing and credit control, bookkeeping and IT support.

gas-elec franchise weathers the recession

The gas-elec group has again bucked the trend and has risen unscathed out of the current economic climate.

“If you don’t adjust to the changes taking place in the world around you then you run the risk of falling behind the game and not keeping abreast of the changing needs of your customers,” says John Davidson, managing director of the gas-elec group.

Nick Morton, gas-elec regional manager for East Anglia, confirms that the business is “recession-resilient” and expects this year’s turnover figure to exceed what he originally targeted. In fact, Nick’s region is delivering business that is increasing exponentially month-on-month and he is continually having to adjust his monthly targets “in a good way”.

Nick manages one of gas-elec’s 18 regional offices situated across the UK. For 14 years this national safety inspection company has provided statutory combined gas and electrical safety inspections to the lettings market, as well as homeowners. This year the company will carry out 120,000 inspections throughout the UK and needs more skilled and semi-skilled people to train as gas-elec safety inspectors.

Business was up 11% across the franchise network in Q1 2009 and during the heart of this recession – October 2008 to May 2009 – gas-elec recorded a massive 9.4% growth, which can be attributed to the increase in the lettings market during this period (a large part of our business is generated here).

“It is actually difficult to set targets at the moment because the market is so good; we just can’t tell what our figures are going to be.”

Nick puts this down to a number of factors. He is getting more quality business out of his existing customer base and he doesn’t see the current boom in lettings stopping any time soon.

“There is some talk within the market that the UK may turn more towards letting than buying, like France and Germany, so we see our business going from strength to strength. In fact, it is predicted that the lettings market will double in the coming ten years. When the homeowner market recovers, gas-elec has products available – such as energy certificates. Really it’s no longer just about gas and electrical services – it’s about supplying an all-round service and the companies that supply the best service get most of the business,” says John.

Gas-elec has a long-established reputation with clients who know that they can depend on the impartiality of the reports. They also know that we offer competitive deals, such as the recently launched gas-elec’s g-warm+ deal.

The gas-elec franchise is a two-tier franchise with regional management franchisees and safety inspection working together in partnership in their various areas. Ongoing business support for all franchisees includes sales and marketing, appointment making, centralised invoicing and credit control, bookkeeping and IT support.

Seeing the great potential in purchasing a Driver Hire franchise

George Griffiths could be described as an all-rounder. A qualified Accountant; he’s also got an Honours Degree in Chemistry. Originally from New Zealand, he settled in the UK and used his accountancy skills working for a number of motor dealerships. “I guess you could say that I had one redundancy too many,” says George. “That was when I decided it was time to work for myself.”

There’s no better advertising than a recommendation. And that’s what introduced George to both the idea of franchising and Driver Hire. One of his good friends was – and still is – Dave Quinn, owner of Driver Hire’s Chelmsford franchise. He suggested George take a look at Driver Hire. He liked what he saw – both at Driver Hire and franchising in general. “I looked at a number of other franchises, but settled on Driver Hire. The final decision, as much as anything else, came down to the fact that it was a people business. I wanted to get out of the accountant’s back office role and into the front line.”

In the end, George purchased a ‘turnaround’ situation. The franchise in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich had been doing over £1m a year but when I looked at the business it was well down on this. I reckoned that if it had been there before, it was possible to get it back. In other words I saw plenty of potential.”

Working alongside his wife Jacqui and with two other members of staff, he’s certainly turned things around in a big way. During a strong summer 2009 performance, despite an unhelpful economy they achieved a record weekly turnover and the Bury-based business is now well on target to return to its former glories.

So, two years down the line, what does George reckon you need to make a success of a Driver Hire franchise? ”It can certainly be a demanding business - I once spent an awful lot of time finding a driver for a job that would only make about £15 profit. But it was a customer I wanted to do business with long-term, so I reckoned it was time well spent. I think a lot of the success is down to the individual franchisee’s desire and motivation. But I also have a lot of help from Driver Hire’s support staff, particularly in those early days when you really need it. Getting the right staff helps too, as does a good grasp of the numbers, so financially you know how you are doing. And, finally, you need to be a good relationship-builder; not afraid of talking to people, understanding their businesses and influencing their purchasing decisions.”

Drain Doctor franchise offers rainwater harvesting

Peterborough-based Drain Doctor Plumbing – the UK’s largest emergency plumbing and drain repair service – is offering rainwater harvesting systems as part of its portfolio of plumbing and drainage services.

Usually rainwater runs off roofs through the soakaway system and is lost. In properties that have the old combined sewage system, rainwater joins the foul water and flows through the drainage system to the local water treatment plant for cleaning.

Now it is possible for homeowners to collect and use rainwater and re-use ‘grey’ waste water from sinks and baths – helping to save money and the environment in the process. Reduced water consumption can lower bills and help to create a more sustainable built environment.

In addition to its existing plumbing and drainage services, Drain Doctor will now provide a complete rainwater harvesting installation service that includes site surveys, planning consultations and building and inspection work.

Drain Doctor’s operations manager Robin Banks explains: “There are two types of water harvesting system. By installing a collection tank in the garden, rainwater runoff from the roof can be collected and used to fill a water butt or supply a garden tap by use of a pump.

“Rainwater is harvested for non-drinking water applications and can also be pumped back into the house for use in flushing toilets and filling washing machines.

“The second type of water harvesting involves collecting grey water from sinks, washing machines and dishwashers and using it to flush the toilets. With this system household water is used twice which has an immediate payback on the water meter.

“Drain Doctor franchisees offering the service will project manage the whole installation from start to finish. We will liaise with planners and complete the work using selected highly trained subcontractors, tailoring each solution to the customer’s requirements. The customer will have one point of contact from the start to final completion of the project.”

Launched in the United Kingdom in 1993, Drain Doctor Plumbing has quickly grown to become the country’s largest emergency plumbing and drain repair service. It now provides a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year service in every part of the country with each franchise run as an independent business.

The central principle is to deliver dazzling levels of service in a market plagued by cowboy operators who are overcharging customers for shoddy workmanship. Franchisees offer a full 24 hour per day seven day per week service with no call out charges and they give fixed-price, no obligation quotes with a full guarantee on all their work.

Technicians are trained not just with technical skills – including the latest techniques such as closed circuit camera drain surveys and no-dig drain repairs – but in customer care that is reflected in such things as wearing overshoes while in customers’ homes and clearing up carefully after every job.

Supported every step of the way with Belvoir franchising

“I’ve felt supported every step of the way,”

says Luke Mason of Belvoir Hitchin

Six months ago Luke and Jonathan Mason launched Belvoir Hitchin. Here, Luke looks at his journey from the opening morning to the present day…

“On 1st December 2008 I opened Belvoir Hitchin, with my cousin Jonathan - and I haven’t looked back,” says Luke. “It was quite scary as I’d never done anything similar before but I was eager to get on with it.

“Before this I worked with my dad doing car sales – I enjoyed it but wanted to open my own business. I came across Belvoir on the internet. I made a call and met the sales director, Dorian Gonsalves. The great support structure that Belvoir provide and the friendliness of the company was obvious and the way they did business really appealed to me – I knew that it was the right opportunity.

“I didn’t know anything about the lettings market so the three-week training course that Belvoir provide for all new Franchise Owners at Central Office in Grantham was invaluable. It taught me everything - from how to open a shop and manage a property to the ins and outs of lettings’ law. Without doubt the training was essential and helped Jonathan and I move forward with confidence.

“Belvoir’s support didn’t stop there - there’s been plenty of help and advice since we launched and throughout our first six months. For the first month Central Office gave us a weekly call to check on our progress, plus made it clear we could call them whenever we needed. They’ve also kept us informed as to what’s going on in the lettings industry and provided instant updates of any legislation changes. There’s plenty of organised networking with other offices too, including a three-monthly meeting between offices in each region.

“My life has changed a lot since opening Belvoir Hitchin but I’ve felt completely supported every step of the way. The first six months have been amazing. It’s hard work but it’s really opened my eyes to the potential of the lettings market, plus reinforced my original thoughts about Belvoir being such a strong brand.

“I’m a people’s person and thoroughly enjoying meeting landlords and tenants - I know that property management is definitely for me and the business has gone from strength-to-strength too…

“We’ve taken on, plus let, many properties – in fact, one of them was being marketed by seven agents but we managed to let it first. We’ve taken on a full-time property manager, and hope to employ more staff within the next six months. And, we were ranked within the top one hundred of the Belvoir group within two months of trading.

“I’m really proud of myself for going for it – my only regret is I didn’t do it sooner!”

Made redundant? Consider franchising an option

Russell Golding, 40, lives in Maulden in Bedfordshire with his wife, Sally, and two children, Charlotte, 10 and George 8. Russell worked for Reuters in the City for 13 years selling financial information, software and hardware to financial institutions, when in August 2003 he was unexpectedly made redundant. Here Russell gives some insight into his experience of redundancy.

How did you feel when you were made redundant? What impact did it have on you at the time?

Russell says: “It was a very black time and a very traumatic few months as my father had also just died. Luckily I had the luxury to be able to take 9 months out to think about what to do with my life. I had a young family and had been leaving home at 6.30am every day, commuting 1.5 hours to work and not returning until 7:00pm on a good day. If I was entertaining clients it would be gone midnight before I got home.”

“Being made redundant gave me the breathing space to look at my lifestyle and make some changes.”

Had you always wanted to run your own business?

“I knew I wanted to set up my own business but I couldn’t come up with a unique business idea that I felt could work for me, so I decided to look at existing businesses and that led me to franchising.”

What led you to franchising and in particular to Recognition Express?

“At that time there were about 700 franchises in the UK so I narrowed it down to those that interested me and that might fit with my new lifestyle choice and I came across Recognition Express, who at the time was franchise of the year. I went to see them all, and some franchisees, for firsthand knowledge. Over two months I whittled it down to one – Recognition Express.”

When and how did you start trading?

“We started trading in March 2004. Initially my wife and I worked together but after nine months we both decided that we didn’t want to work together – it just didn’t work. It works brilliantly now as she has gone back into corporate employment to work. So, for the first 3-4 years it was just me covering the Cambridge area. I was able to work from home and spend some time with my kids. I was only of only a few fathers at the school gates!”

“This year, in January I purchased an existing franchise in Kettering covering an additional 6 territories. I now manage 9 members of staff.”

How is business going?

“Year on year sales are up by 20% and that’s in a recession. There’s no recession in our office! We’re getting a regular stream of enquiries coming through to us each day, both from our existing client base as well as from new prospects. I’m putting this success down to the fact that we are going the extra mile for our clients and offering a great level of customer service.”

Russell adds: “Some of our competitors have disappeared and as a result we’re picking up enquiries and business from them too. I see the next 12 months as a huge opportunity to grow the business further.”

Looking back how do you feel about your decision?

“With hindsight I think it’s the best thing that could have happened. I had a young family but I wasn’t seeing them. The way things worked out meant that I got to see them grow up and spent quality time with them. It was a blessing in disguise.”

What advice would you give to someone who has just been made redundant?

“It is never as black as you think it is – look on the bright side. Get out there and do the research, physically visiting franchisors and franchisees. The franchise exhibitions are great because you can get a lot of research done in one day.”

“You either want to work for yourself or you don’t. Deep down, if someone has the entrepreneurial spirit I would encourage them to look at franchising. Many people are not quite the professional entrepreneur, but they also don’t always want to be an employee either. They are sitting in that middle tier, in roles that don’t make them very happy but afraid to move because of the security.”

“My advice is to be brave, don’t stay in a job that you don’t enjoy. Nothing much will change in your life, unless you make some changes to your life. Get out there and see what’s available in the franchising world, you may just be pleasantly surprised!”

The total cost of a Recognition Express franchise is £30,000 + VAT – so personal funding on only £10,000 is required.

Lucky streak with Servicemaster franchise

Mike Hudson

Contract Services - Servicemaster Clean franchise

Peterborough Franchisee

I have been a Servicemaster licensee for just over two years now. I had previously worked for a large and reputable department store group for some 30 years. During that time I held a number of selling management posts before becoming a facilities manager for one of their stores. In that time I met with cleaning contractors…. And thought to myself if ever I left the company I could do that!!

I had considered a franchise from the outset, as it seemed the safe way to pursue running my own business. With the comfort of a regular income for thirty years in a reputable company I was looking for as much security as I could find in taking the plunge.

Luck brought me to Servicemaster franchise. A local newspaper ad saw the CS license up for sale.

ServiceMaster quickly provided me with all the facts and figures required and put me in touch with a number of nearby franchisees. It was after visiting the second of these neighbors I drove back home, and in that time decided to commit. The process then was simple and straightforward and within weeks I was a director in my own company…. Wow!

The things I love are:

Being in control of my own destiny

The freedom from the old 9 - 5 regime

No commuting

Making more use of my core skill of selling

A greater risk but with greater rewards…. If you do it well!

Servicemaster give excellent support to the newcomer. However the greatest benefit is the network of people running the same type of business around the country. Everybody is so helpful when you call for assistance and support.

The business has co directors, myself and my wife Lindsey. Her skills have always been in business administration and so there is plenty to keep her occupied.

What you must remember though it is a cleaning business. If you have any hang ups about cleaning toilets or dusting etc then think seriously about what you are doing. Both Lindsey and myself are quite naturally clean and tidy and therefore our business standards are a simple extension of those we bring to our own home.

Part of the TruGreen franchise family

Tony Lawrence

TruGreen Franchisee

Hertfordshire

"In finding an advert for lawn-care franchise TruGreen in a national newspaper, I unwittingly found the future business I would run together with my son.

When I saw the TruGreen franchise opportunity it immediately grabbed my attention In fact, I had no intention at the time of looking to invest in a franchise, but the TruGreen concept really interested me.

At the time, I was working in financial services and my son was about to finish his A-levels: My son has always wanted to work outdoors It was something that was very important to him, so I thought that this would be brilliant opportunity for him to start his working life.

After speaking to TruGreen, we found the business concept appealed even further and our Hertfordshire franchise business was launched in 2004.

My son received plentiful and comprehensive training. There was a lot to take in but it covered everything from marketing plans to banking to product knowledge to lawn-care itself. With an effective initial marketing campaign, I was delighted when work started coming in straight away. However, the business started to grow quickly and was going so well that I decided to join my son in running the business

I was planning to wind down my career but the TruGreenfranchise business was going from strength to strength. Taking on a behind the scenes role in their home based business, I left my son to do what he loves - getting outside to do his work while meeting new people everyday. Whilst enjoying our independence and ability to work on our own terms.

I also benefit from Trugreens continual support: They give us good advice and are always there at the end of the phone should we need them. Now advertising in the local press, as well as sponsoring a youth golf tournament, I am positive that the business will continue its success:

The business benefits from a very high level of customer referrals and this is only going to get better. With my younger son planning to work with us in the near future, our TruGreen franchise is turning into a real family business."

The Success of the Eastern Express

Alan John
Eastern England

Why did you choose Recognition Express?

I was in my mid-40’s and had spent over two decades in corporate life. The prospect of being in much greater control of my life - including sleeping in my own bed - was appealing. Recognition Express was affordable, consistent with my considerable experience of business-to-business marketing and sales, and gave me an opportunity to develop and express my interest in graphic design.

How have you found the training and support given by Recognition Express?

The initial training was competent, but that was almost 14 years ago! The world has changed considerably since then and Recognition Express has developed both its product range and business methods to reflect and sometimes anticipate changing needs and requirements.

How was your first year in business?

The first year in business was not easy. There were lots of details to address that had not been a feature of my earlier career; and there were few quick and easy hits. By the end of the year we had begun to settle into a pattern of activity that led in the right direction.

How do you see your business progressing?

There are now seven of us, operating from a modern premises on an industrial estate. We print and manufacture name badges, T-shirts, mugs, Braille and tactile signs, banner stands, etc. and provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for all kinds of branded products. We have established a pattern of consistent, profitable trading based on responding quickly and relevantly to our customers’ needs and desires. We would not be human if we did not fear that this pattern might be interrupted next month - so we keep working on it and anticipate continued double digit annual growth percentages.

Do you have any advice to anybody considering
Recognition Express as a franchise?

Recognition Express provides good marketing support and materials but these are no substitute for a strong personal commitment to making and maintaining effective contacts with prospective customers. No new business is successfully launched without lots of appropriate activity and great attention to detail.

Two awards for Belvoir franchise owners

Terry Lucking, Belvoir’s Peterborough franchisee, has received two accolades in the franchise’s recent awards. Announcing his achievements, Belvoir co-founder and CEO, Mike Goddard, said: “Terry’s success has been incredible – his is the fastest overall development in our history. His business has grown consistently by 40 per cent per annum.

Mike Goddard continued: “With energy and passion, Terry has also proactively taken great interest in the development of the network, which now has 97 outlets. He has twice been chairman of our franchisees’ Networking Group covering more than four years and is making another significant contribution to franchising as a representative on the bfa’s Franchisee Forum. Terry also serves on the committee of The Guild of Lettings and Management.”

Terry became a franchisee in 1999 after a career in the food industry spanning 22 years. He was a director of two major plcs before being headhunted to become managing director of a £25 million turnover family farming business in Cambridge.

When the family were invited to sell, Terry headed a management buy-out but lost to a competitive bid. He resigned and decided to look for a new challenge in a completely different industry, embarking on extensive research into many different types of business and opportunity, including franchising.

While he was thinking about what to do long term, he developed and successfully sold on a small chain of travel shops and a vegetable processing business. He also operated as a debt mediator for six months.

Terry was not interested in manufacturing because of the huge capital costs involved in setting up from scratch. He recognised his talents lay in managing businesses and driving them forward. He said: “I wanted to be in a positive industry that was expanding, not consolidating – or contracting - and where people are valued for their skills and abilities.”

Having researched franchising and compared it to other start-up options, Terry concluded that it was the safest route to being self-employed with optimum opportunity to make money from a relatively modest investment. He commented: “Franchising offers a fast start in business. I didn’t want to waste time setting up and trialling my own systems. That’s the beauty of franchising – someone has done it all before, so it’s tried and tested.”

He narrowed down his choice of possible franchises and investigated those specialising in property. In late l998 he met Belvoir’s Mike Goddard and set up an exhaustive interview with him. “I asked a lot of searching questions,” Terry explained. “This had to be a two way interview because I needed to have confidence in the organisation where I was about to invest a considerable sum of money. “I made a decision quickly to go ahead. My training with Belvoir was extremely thorough and enabled me to make a quick entry into the business. Once I began trading I appreciated the enormous value of Belvoir’s on-going support, especially their bespoke legal advice line and the website,” Terry added.

He opened his outlet early in 1999. Working in a small business was a shock after a large corporate culture where he had two secretaries and someone to manage the diary. Suddenly Terry was thrust into an environment where he had to use a computer and learn to multi-task.

“Seven years on we now employ nine people,” Terry said. “Two of my stepsons are involved in the business and my wife Liz shares my passion, vision and energy for property. In fact, one son, Luke, has the distinction of being the UK’s youngest landlord, making his first buy-to-let investment when he was just 18.”

Terry is now in phase three of his franchise’s plan with a growing portfolio of over 510 properties in Peterborough, surrounding market towns and local villages. He enthuses: “Property is a fast growing sector as the demand for private rented homes continues to increase, for a variety of reasons. The business has the benefit of requiring personal involvement and hence great personal satisfaction. It also has the advantage that no one customer represents more than 5 per cent of the business.”

Terry continued: “The last seven years have opened my eyes to just how much money can be made from property. I was too busy in my former life to see outside of the plc box!”

Annual Conference has largest turnout on record for Norwich Franchisor

TaxAssist Accountants, the UK’s leading accountancy and taxation service for small businesses reaches its 10th Anniversary and celebrates in style.

TaxAssist Accountants, based on Thorpe Road in Norwich celebrated its 10th Anniversary at its Annual Conference held on the 11 November in the Midlands. The Conference attracted the largest turnout ever of its national network of accountants with over 300 franchisees, sponsors and branded service partners in attendance.

TaxAssist Accountants is the largest network of accountants in the UK offering a range of services specifically matched to the needs of small business. Services range from the completion of end of year accounts and annual tax returns to payroll, VAT and bookkeeping. This is further complemented by additional services designed to help small business owners maximise their financial position including debt recovery, independent financial advice and personnel (HR) services.

The Annual Conference, consisted of an upbeat motivational afternoon conference followed by a formal black tie Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony. The awards were presented to winners by Sandi Toksvig, comedienne and author.

Karl Sandall, Chief Executive comments

"We were delighted to celebrate our 10th anniversary in style. We are confidently building our reputation as a "one stop shop for small business" all over the UK, centred around a professional and value for money accounting and taxation service."

CHELMSFORD CLEANER WINS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

A Chelmsford man providing specialist cleaning to homes throughout South Essex has won a national 'Lifetime Achievement’ award.

Geraint Williams, who has owned a Safeclean franchise for over 20 years, won the award at the company’s annual conference. Geraint initially set up his Safeclean franchise after leaving his role as an internal auditor in 1982.

Geraint became a Safeclean franchisee after deciding that he wanted to run his own business. Since he began at the company he has seen many changes take place.

"I can remember originally cleaning carpets and furnishings with a sea sponge we then gradually moved on to newer more impressive technologies like the industrial machinery that you see today. I've also seen the introduction of Guardsman products which remove stains with little or no fuss and warranty packages that help protect customer’s furnishings for longer."

Now running the business with his wife Debbie, the couple concentrate on the planning, marketing and quoting side of the business, with a further three full time operatives looking after the actual cleaning and working in the office. With four children to look after and entertain, Ffion, Megan, Rhys and Rhian, this extra help is crucial: “I run a tight ship with good sociable hours so I can fit in holidays and quality time with my family!" says Geraint.

Geraint is no stranger to awards. In previous years he has won ‘Franchisee of the Year as well as the ‘Safeclean Gold Technical Excellence Award'.

"I'm really proud to have won this latest award," admits Geraint. "It means so much to be recognised by your peers and I hope that I can continue to provide a great cleaning service to the people of the Chelmsford area".

Safeclean’s national awards cover a number of different categories in furnishings and upholstery. Safeclean's Director of Operations, Paul Roberts believes the awards show the high quality of work carried out by franchisees: "These awards illustrate the depth of knowledge of our franchisees and the specialist skills used in a Safeclean service.

"Every franchisee that wins one deserves it for their commitment to excellence and continued desire to help Safeclean retain it’s position as the market leader in the cleaning of domestic furnishings and upholstery."

Safeclean currently has a range of opportunities available in Kings Lynn, the South West, Wales, Scotland, Doncaster, Chester, Halifax. If you think that you have what it takes to succeed as a Safeclean franchisee or you would like more information about the business please call 01235 444705 or visit www.safeclean.co.uk.

IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR RON WITH NEW PLUMBING BUSINESS

Ilford and Romford's newest emergency plumber is keeping it in the family as he launches his Drain Doctor Plumbing business.

Ron Bacon is calling on the support of his wife and three children as he vows to help rebuild plumbing's tarnished reputation and offer the residents and businesses of Romford and Ilford a dazzling plumbing service.

Ron, 48, will be assisted by his wife Angela, 43, and children Daniel, 21, Lee, 19, and Sheree, 16.

He said: "Without a doubt my family is very important to me and I am delighted we have this opportunity to build a bright future for ourselves with this franchise. We are a tightly-knit family and we are really looking forward to working together.

"I'm originally from the East End of London so I know this area very well and know that people around here deserve a plumbing service that they can trust - this is exactly what Drain Doctor Plumbing will deliver."

Ron is a sixth generation tradesman and has also worked as a chauffeur for the 'Wogan' television programme, ferrying stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Mickey Rooney, Michael Jackson and Sylvester Stallone to and from the studios.

He said: "I chose to buy a Drain Doctor Plumbing franchise for a number of reasons. For the past ten years or so I have considered buying a franchise and recently I chose six or seven businesses to examine further. I spoke to people at head office and existing franchisees and was very impressed with what they had to say about the first class service Drain Doctor Plumbing provides.

"I was also impressed with the potential for business growth. There is a great opportunity for expansion in this area - something I am keen to do. I am looking to double the number of technicians I employ by the end of the year."

Ron, who is a keen Tottenham Hotspur fan and also enjoys watching boxing, cricket and darts, was also impressed with the emphasis Drain Doctor Plumbing places on customer service.

"Customers are given fixed-price, no obligation quotes and all our work is guaranteed," he said. "Our technicians are fully trained in latest techniques, such as closed circuit camera surveys and no-dig drain repairs. We go out of our way to ensure our customers receive sparkling service."

Drain Doctor Plumbing - 08000 68 19 58.

Historic town receives face lift

Sign and graphics specialists Signs Express (Kings Lynn) have recently been involved in several key signage projects in the historic town of King’s Lynn, commissioned as part of the regeneration of the area and in celebration of King’s Lynn’s 800th anniversary.

Signs Express were commissioned by Alfred McAlpine Special Projects to supply and install new signage featuring the town’s historic crest onto two towers of the newly completed St James’ multi-storey car park. Spanning over 1.5m in height, the crests are made from bespoke moulded Glass Fibre with hand painted detailing and gilded with 23.5 carat gold leaf. The individual lettering spanning an area of nearly 2.4m in height x 2.0m in width was created using 5mm black acrylic and both were installed using non ferrous brass studs chemically bonded though 30mm thick Terracotta tiles and into the concrete structure of the building.

The crests were covered until the official unveiling by the Mayor of King’s Lynn on 17th October. Signs Express (King’s Lynn) owner Mike Snow said, “As the only multistorey car park in King’s Lynn, it’s a very prominent building and one which is at the heart of the regeneration programme for the area. As such, the development required signage which reflected the prominence of the building and uses the crest to keep the historic nature of the town combined with cutting edge design and construction of the building. We are very proud of the finished signage”.

He continued, “Such projects which use a unique combination of skills are fairly unusual and combined with the working height in excess of 10.0m raised a number of challenges”.

The leading sign company was also commissioned to provide 100 full colour digitally printed banners for The Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, each 1.6m x 0.6m, which were displayed on the southern and northern approaches to the town to celebrate the town’s 800th anniversary. Each Banner was full colour printed on both sides and combined the 800 years anniversary logo with individual local company logos.

Signs Express provides a complete design, manufacture and fitting service for all forms of signage and is based on the Hardwick Industrial Estate in King’s Lynn. Signs Express is a member of the British Sign & Graphics Association and Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, for further information contact 01553 761762.

Driving the Business Forward

A Chelmsford man providing superb specialist cleaning to homes throughout South Essex is celebrating his 20th anniversary with Safeclean.

Geraint Williams left his managerial role as an internal auditor in 1982 to join the Safeclean franchise, offering cleaning and protection to carpets, curtains, rugs, upholstery and leather after deciding he wanted his own business, “I soon realized I was no good looking at figures and wasn’t cut out to be an employee, so I started looking for my own business.”

Since then Geraint has seen all the developments and progress in the franchise and in the work: “I saw all the changes, including starting with the sea sponge and moving on gradually to impressive technology” he recalls, along with the introduction of a Guardsman database, warranties and more brand marketing. Geraint firmly believes that the greater investment in advertising by head office and himself has improved his business but it is the original concept behind Safeclean that has produced the results, “I have held firmly to the belief of selling a premium cleaning service largely by quality work with resultant recommendations.”

Now running the business with his wife Debbie, the couple concentrate on the planning, marketing and quoting side of the business, with a further three full time operatives looking after the actual cleaning and working in the office. With four children to look after and entertain, Ffion (7), Megan (4), Rhys (2) and Rhian (5 months), this extra help is crucial; “I run a tight ship with good sociable hours so I can fit in holidays and quality time with my family!”

Geraint has recently been awarded the Safeclean Gold Technical Excellence Award, achieving the highest percentage in the whole franchise network. Designed by Safeclean Head Office, the awards cover a number of different furnishings and upholstery problems and services and ensure their franchisees keep up to date with the latest furnishing solutions. Safeclean General Manager Paul Roberts believes the awards show the high quality of work carried out by franchisees: “These awards illustrate the depth of knowledge of our franchisees and the specialist skills used in a Safeclean service.”

As for the future, well Geraint only sees one thing, “to drive the business even further forward, increasing the customer base by constantly improving the service.” The last twenty years have been very rewarding for Geraint, his family and his team, and he adds “there are not many days that pass where I feel any regret about taking on the franchise!”

For further information on Safeclean contact Kathy at keley@valspar.com

New Plumbing Business for David

After 14 years in public service roles, David Spurrier (37) is making a dramatic career switch by launching a new Drain Doctor Plumbing business to serve the 750,000 people in the Cambridge area.

Based on a successful business formula, David aims to build a team of skilled technicians operating from fully equipped vans with the ability to solve the plumbing and drain repair problems of residential and business customers alike. Starting with two technicians he plans to expand rapidly into a 10-van operation.

"During my career I have developed some leadership and management skills that I believe are ideal for running a successful business," said David.

His Cambridge business will be part of the national Drain Doctor Plumbing network, which introduced unprecedented levels of customer service when it was launched in 1993 and quickly grew to become the UK's largest plumbing and drain repair service.

"This will be a genuine 24-hour service with no call-out charges and all our workmanship is guaranteed," said David. "Our policy is to offer fixed-price quotations before we start work so there are no unwelcome surprises for customers and all new customers are entitled to a free domestic water system check."

In addition to providing a full range of plumbing and drain repair services, Drain Doctor Plumbing technicians carry out closed circuit television surveys of drainage systems and are trained in latest re-lining and patch repair techniques.

David, who is a keen angler and soccer fan, researched a number of franchise business options before choosing Drain Doctor Plumbing.

"It is an exciting business concept that focuses very strongly on providing exceptional standards of customer service," he said. "It also has a very professional head office support team."

Drain Doctor Plumbing is a full member of the British Franchise Association and now has 74 franchise areas covering more than 90 per cent of the UK population plus the Republic of Ireland. The company recently launched a search for the UK's oldest working ballcock to help celebrate its tenth anniversary.

Bill Invests in New Plumbing Business

Norwich finance broker Bill Thompson (50) is making a dramatic career switch by launching a new emergency plumbing and drain repair business to serve the 750,000 people in Norwich and Norfolk.

"Competition in the finance business has become really intense with supermarkets offering cheap-rate loans," said Bill, who has just launched his new Drain Doctor Plumbing service. "My earlier training as a surveyor and experience working for an estate agency provides a solid base from which to manage my new business."

Based on a successful business formula, Bill aims to build a team of skilled technicians operating from fully equipped vans with the ability to solve the plumbing and drain repair problems of residential and business customers alike.

His Norwich business will be part of the national Drain Doctor Plumbing network, which introduced unprecedented levels of customer service when it was launched in 1993 and quickly grew to become the UK's largest plumbing and drain repair service.

"This will be a genuine 24-hour service with no call-out charges and all our workmanship is guaranteed," said Bill. "Our policy is to offer fixed-price quotations before we start work so there are no unwelcome surprises for customers and all new customers are entitled to a free domestic water system check."

In addition to providing a full range of plumbing and drain repair services,Drain Doctor Plumbing technicians carry out closed circuit television surveys of drainage systems and are trained in latest re-lining and patch repair techniques.

Bill, who plays cricket for Cringleford and is a member of Norwich Veterans rugby squad, researched a number of franchise business options before choosing Drain Doctor Plumbing.

"It is an exciting business concept that focuses very strongly on providing exceptional standards of customer service," he said. "It also has a very professional head office support team."

Drain Doctor Plumbing is a full member of the British Franchise Association and now has 74 franchise areas covering more than 90 per cent of the UK population plus the Republic of Ireland. To celebrate the company's tenth anniversary it recently launched a search for the UK's oldest working ballcock.

From High-Flying Career to Plumbing

Computer software professionals Andy Bellinger and Karen Taylor are making a dramatic switch from their high-flying careers to more down-to-earth roles as they launch a Drain Doctor Plumbing business covering Watford and St Albans.

Their unusual move makes perfect sense to Andy and Karen, who live in Bushey Heath. "We both worked in high-pressure positions with market leading companies and were faced with constantly rising sales and marketing targets," said Andy.

"When the downturn hit the computer industry we were both made redundant and that gave us the opportunity to launch an entirely different business where we are in charge. We investigated a broad range of franchise options before selecting Drain Doctor Plumbing, a national plumbing and drainage company focused on customer service and delivery."

Andy and Karen plan to recruit a team of skilled technicians who will operate from fully equipped vans while delivering exceptional standards of customer service to the 550,000 people living in the Watford and St Albans area.

Andy and Karen are enthusiastic about the prospects from their radical career change. "We both have practical and management skills and I installed our own central heating and plumbing systems," said Andy, who was previously marketing director with a US NASDAQ quoted software company. Karen was previously Europe, Middle East and Africa sales support consultant with one of the world's largest software companies.

Karen added: "Public perceptions of the plumbing trade have suffered from horror stories about poor workmanship and rip-off prices so our policy is based on providing exceptional standards of customer service - right from the first telephone contact through to guaranteeing all workmanship.

"Unlike most plumbers we don't impose call-out charges, we don't charge extra for working unsocial hours and we agree a fixed price quotation with customers before starting work. Our technicians even wear plastic boot covers and use work mats to protect household furnishings."

Drain Doctor Plumbing is the first national organisation in its sector to achieve Quality Mark approval under a new government scheme that protects householders from shoddy workmanship by 'cowboy' tradesmen.

To become Quality Mark Approved tradesmen must have their technical capability independently evaluated, adhere to a 12-point code of practice, meet statutory health and safety requirements, demonstrate financial stability and have adequate public and employer liability insurance.

Nationally, Drain Doctor Plumbing is a member of the UK Trades Confederation, which also operates a customer satisfaction scheme that aims to combat rogue traders, and it is continuing its accreditation programme under the ISO quality standard.

The company was launched in 1994 and now has a network of 74 franchise areas covering 90 per cent of the UK population plus the Republic of Ireland. Drain Doctor Plumbing achieved an award of merit in the 2003 British Franchise Association's Franchise of the Year competition.